Selective call radio communication systems typically comprise a radio frequency transmitter/encoder (base station) that is accessed via a link to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and a radio receiver (e.g., a selective call receiver or the like) that has at least one unique call address associated therewith. Operationally, the selective call receiver receives and decodes information transmitted from the base station, the information having an address and possibly a data or voice message. When the selective call receiver detects its address, it typically alerts the user and presents any received information.
Contemporary selective call radio communication systems such as paging systems employ messaging schemes that can deliver a voice, numeric, or alphanumeric messages to a user. The majority of paging systems transmit address and message information using a protocol such as GSC (Golay Sequential Code) or POCSAG (Post Office Code Standardization Advisory Group code). These protocol formats are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art of Paging systems. To originate a message or page, the base station or paging terminal is typically accessed via the PSTN from a rotary or dual-tone-multi-frequency (DTMF) telephone. As a voice message entry device, the telephone is acceptable but when graphical information or data needs to be entered, an alternative means of entry is desirable. Alternative entry devices such as computer terminals and custom entry devices work well when the originators can convey their information to the user in a concise, alphanumeric character based format. However, customer acceptance of these alternative entry devices has been lacking for reasons of expense and operational complexity. Facsimile machines are more universally accepted by originators because of their simplicity of operation and their ability to accept almost any paper document. However, the standard data messages generated by facsimile machines are very large, particularly when the information from the document to be transmitted consists of small, detailed items such as alphanumeric characters. The transmission of such large amounts of data, while convenient to the sending party, is very extensive in the use of radio spectrum resources, which typically have narrower data bandwidths than, for example PSTN networks. For example, typical new facsimile machines are capable of sending data at 9600 bits per second over a dial up phone link, while most POCSAG systems run at 1200 bits per second on the RF channels, though some operate at 512 bits per second and 2400 bits per second on the RF channels.
In summary, there is a need for information contained on a printed page to be transmitted to a selective call radio communication device without over-extending the conventional selective call signaling infrastructure.